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Collateral pledge, sunk-cost fallacy and mortgage default

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  • Agarwal, Sumit
  • Green, Richard K.
  • Rosenblatt, Eric
  • Yao, Vincent

Abstract

Individuals and firms pledge collateral to mitigate agency costs or contracting frictions in a world with asymmetric information. However, the option value theory suggests that once the mark-to-market asset valuation is below the current debt, the firms and individuals should default on their debt contract irrespective of the initial collateral pledged. In this paper, we estimate default models and find that after controlling for mark-to-market asset valuation, initial collateral remains an important predictor of mortgage default. Specifically, individuals that pledge higher collateral have a lower hazard to default. Our results are consistent with models of sunk cost fallacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Agarwal, Sumit & Green, Richard K. & Rosenblatt, Eric & Yao, Vincent, 2015. "Collateral pledge, sunk-cost fallacy and mortgage default," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 636-652.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinin:v:24:y:2015:i:4:p:636-652
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfi.2014.10.001
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    3. Hyeongjun Kim & Hoon Cho & Doojin Ryu, 2018. "Characteristics of Mortgage Terminations: an Analysis of a Loan-Level Dataset," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 647-676, November.
    4. Agarwal, Sumit & Green, Richard & Rosenblatt, Eric & Yao, Vincent W. & Zhang, Jian, 2018. "Gender difference and intra-household economic power in mortgage signing order," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 86-100.
    5. Birru, Justin & Chague, Fernando & De-Losso, Rodrigo & Giovannetti, Bruno, 2019. "Attention and Biases: Evidence from Tax-Inattentive Investors," Working Paper Series 2019-22, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.
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    7. Park, Hyejin & Kahn, Charles M., 2019. "Collateral, rehypothecation, and efficiency," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 34-46.
    8. Martin Hauptfleisch, 2019. "Financial Decision-Making Using Data," PhD Thesis, Finance Discipline Group, UTS Business School, University of Technology, Sydney, number 6-2019, January-A.
    9. Uddin, Md Hamid & Akter, Shabiha & Mollah, Sabur & Al Mahi, Masnun, 2022. "Differences in bank and microfinance business models: An analysis of the loan monitoring systems and funding sources," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Kavussanos, Manolis G. & Tsouknidis, Dimitris A., 2016. "Default risk drivers in shipping bank loans," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 71-94.
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    12. Zeng, Jing & Wang, Xiongyuan & Xiao, Min, 2019. "The impact of government property right law on collateral loans: A quasi-natural experiment based on the enactment of Chinese property law," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 273-283.

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